It remains a mystery as to why Reinsdorf would bother saying something like this. Nobody believes that contraction is actually on the table, and there are plenty of doubts about whether or not the threats back in 2002 were all that serious.

With that said, Reinsdorf is also wrong to suggest that MLB should not be looking to expand. Considering the fact that MLB is in a period of record revenue and unprecedented labor peace, this would seem to be the perfect time to expand.

At most, two additional teams would further strengthen baseball’s brand both domestically and internationally. At the very least, two new teams would eliminate the scheduling headaches that will be created by the Houston Astros’ impending move to the American League.

Cities That Just Missed the Cut

They have done well in supporting an NBA franchise, but the city would still be the smallest marketplace in MLB.

Oklahoma City

See: Salt Lake City.

Orlando

This is the largest city not on the list, but fans in the state of Florida have enough trouble supporting the Marlins and Rays.

Las Vegas

While Vegas is currently the largest metro area without a pro sports team, the city’s historic reliance on gambling revenue is a major red flag for expansion in any sport.

Norfolk

It's a larger metro area than Milwaukee and historically a terrific source of MLB prospects, but the city has very little track record when it comes to professional sports.

Austin

The capital of the Lone Star State ranks right behind Las Vegas as the biggest city without a pro sports team, and its emerging tech sector has helped make the city flush with disposable income. A definite sleeper pick.

Charlotte

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Current home of the White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate, Charlotte would rank as the second-smallest city in the majors if it was awarded a franchise, but it is also one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States.

Home to one of the country’s largest banking sectors, Charlotte is also a city with plenty of disposable income and potential corporate partners.

With October temperatures hovering between 50 and 70 degrees, it is unlikely that baseball would have to worry about World Series games in Charlotte being interrupted by snow.

New York/Northern New Jersey

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This will never happen due to what would likely be serious issues with territorial rights, but a third team in the Big Apple would be the easiest way to combat the massive revenue advantage that the Yankees (and to a lesser extent, the Mets) currently enjoy over the rest of baseball.

It is also by far the most proven baseball market, and it is hard to make an argument that the city cannot support three teams when it did just that from 1901 to 1957. The city has only gotten bigger and wealthier since.

A new team in Brooklyn would be ideal (and a little poetic), but the time might be right to see if East Rutherford (which just lost the NBA’s Nets) or Newark is interested in the big leagues.

Portland

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It is rather surprising that Portland does not receive more consideration for pro sports expansion, considering that it is not only the largest metro area in the United States without a baseball team but also the largest with only one major pro sports franchise.

The NBA’s Trail Blazers have thrived in the city for more than four decades, and strong support for the Timbers of MLS indicates that the city’s residents are more than willing to support another team.

A team in Portland would also mean that the Seattle Mariners would not be on such an island compared to the rest of baseball.

Local corporations like Intel and Nike would fit in perfectly as sponsors.